Keighley mill fire: Inquiry begins into Peaky Blinders TV location blaze

Firefighters are still damping down as investigations get under way into the cause of a huge blaze at a mill.

At its height, about 120 firefighters tackled the inferno at Dalton Mills in Dalton Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, which started at midday on Thursday.

The mill complex had been used as a film location for hit shows such as Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said there were no casualties. Two fire crews remained at the scene.

About 10 firefighters were continuing to throw water on the site to prevent the fire, which had been put out last night, from re-igniting.

A multi-agency inquiry is due to start later, the fire service said.

People living nearby had been told to keep windows and doors closed and to avoid travelling through the area due to plumes of smoke.

Resident David Bradbury said he was "sad to see" the building, which had been empty, go up in flames.

Another eyewitness, Gary Coates, said he saw "flames coming from the bottom floor of the mill" as the inferno took hold of the mill "within minutes".

The mill had been used for a number of film and television production in recent years.

Richard Knight, from Screen Yorkshire, described it as "a destination in its own right".

The building, built in 1869, was once the largest textile mill in Yorkshire, employing more than 2,000 workers.

It was struck by a serious fire in 2011, when it was believed copper thieves set fire to the site as they tried to burn off insulation to steal metal.

The complex fell into disrepair before being partially restored and taken off English Heritage's at-risk register in 2015.